The invention relates to mounting of a diode, and more particularly to a laser diode mounting system permitting precise adjustment of the location and aim of the diode's beam, and with a special lens system in association therewith.
A laser diode projects a beam generally in the shape of an elliptical cone. The shape of the cone, i.e. the divergence angles of the beam, vary considerably from one diode to another due to limitations in the manufacturing procedure. For efficient practical uses of the laser diode, it must be mounted and aimed precisely for maximizing the output power of the beam, and it must be focused with lenses in order to create a focused beam spot of a desired size at a desired location for use, for example, in a laser printer.
Various systems have been proposed and used for mounting, adjusting, and focusing the beam of a laser diode, but none has been as efficient, economical, and yet precise as the system of the present invention described below.